Best way of channeling readers to your book

I'm currently in a bit of a dilemma and I was wondering if anyone might be able to offer any input. Since publishing OGJ on Kindle in October, I have used the Kindle UK link everywhere (Twitter, forums, Facebook, blog etc). This means that when new people follow me, they often click through to my book on Kindle. So far so good.

However, since publishing the book in paperback, I have started to replace this link with the novel's page on my website instead, where there are a range of buying options (Amazon Kindle or paperback, Waterstones, Kobo etc). The theory is that this will give readers more choice and help educate them about the different ways they can read the book.

However, over the last few days I have noticed that Kindle sales have ground to a complete halt! I can't track paperback sales in real time due to bi-annual reporting, although fluctuations in rank do indicate some sales activity.

My concern is that, in giving customers another stepping stone between their first click and actually purchasing the book, many of them never get as far as buying it.

What do you think? Am I losing customers due to my new tactic of referring people to the novel's central page, or is this just a temporary glitch?

RE: Best way of channeling readers to your book

If you're selling online, focus on the digital versions. If people would prefer the paperback then they will choose that over the ebook version, and it is easy for a potential buyer to find the paperback edition through Amazon on your Kindle page.

I'm not a huge fan of directing people directly to Amazon as an only option, but you are correct, buyers will follow the path of least resistance and extra steps will increase the likelihood of them ending up not buying. That said, those who end up on the your Amazon book page via your website are pretty much a lock-in to buy.

So, give people as many reasons to keep coming back to your site as possible. Get people to know and like you, and they will buy your book eventually (even if that's a year from now). There's plenty of reasons why people intend to buy but don't just yet. Wrong side of payday, in the middle of another book already, planning it for a gift but that day isn't for another two months, so I'll get it nearer the time.

RE: Best way of channeling readers to your book

Cheers for the input Damien. I'm working hard on getting and keeping fans (articles targeted at the outdoor community, my primary audience, have worked wonders) but getting the balance right is the tricky part!

RE: Best way of channeling readers to your book

Not quite what you are asking, but I get annoyed on here when there's no single link to an author's amazon page in their signature and I have to go via their website.
Since we are talking Kindle (well, I am lol), then have your Amazon page as your main link and have your webpage easily visible from there.

RE: Best way of channeling readers to your book

(08 Mar 2013 10:51 PM)joo Wrote: Not quite what you are asking, but I get annoyed on here when there's no single link to an author's amazon page in their signature and I have to go via their website.
Since we are talking Kindle (well, I am lol), then have your Amazon page as your main link and have your webpage easily visible from there.

Interestingly it hasn't even occurred to me to use my Amazon author page--it's probably one of my least used tools to be honest.

RE: Best way of channeling readers to your book

RE: Best way of channeling readers to your book

As a slight sidestep - I guess you probably know about Cordee who distribute outdoor books?
I used to get a paper catalogue in the bookshop a couple of times a year - I guess its now email shots! They could maybe give your paperback a way in to book and outdoor stores without doing all the legwork.
They do have a little fiction on the list.

RE: Best way of channeling readers to your book

(09 Mar 2013 08:46 AM)Louise Warman Wrote: As a slight sidestep - I guess you probably know about Cordee who distribute outdoor books?
I used to get a paper catalogue in the bookshop a couple of times a year - I guess its now email shots! They could maybe give your paperback a way in to book and outdoor stores without doing all the legwork.
They do have a little fiction on the list.

Thanks for that Louise, I will look them up!

Still no Kindle sales--that's four days with nothing at all now, most bizarre when you consider that I was averaging 2-3 a day last month.

RE: Best way of channeling readers to your book

I would agree with Damien that linking straight to a digital book brings better results. I have tried links to my website, links to my author's page on amazon and links directly to a book and although I don't have any evidence of which works best, I think it is the latter.

RE: Best way of channeling readers to your book

(09 Mar 2013 02:46 PM)George Wrote: I would agree with Damien that linking straight to a digital book brings better results. I have tried links to my website, links to my author's page on amazon and links directly to a book and although I don't have any evidence of which works best, I think it is the latter.

I think you might be right. I have long suspected that most of my sales come from Twitter, and considering that the link has mainly been changed on Twitter this would tend to confirm this theory...

KINDLE is a registered trademark of Amazon.com, Inc.This site, Kindle Users Forum is not affiliated or related to Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com in any way. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates